Namibia’s devastating drought in pictures

Annelie Coleman

October 14, 2016 4:06 pm

Annelie Coleman recently visited Namibia and compiled a photo collage to illustrate the impact of the drought on the country.

The mountains surrounding Windhoek are left bare and black by the relentless sun and the lack of rain. The capital is located on the Khomas Hochveld plateau area, at around 1 700m above sea level, almost exactly at the country's geographical centre.Photo: Annelie Coleman

The drought has contributed to the fact that cattle producers in Namibia have been operating at an 8% annual profit loss over the past 10 years, according to Mecki Schneider, former president of the Namibia Livestock Producers’ Organisation.

The western parts of the country have been particularly hard hit by the drought. Some regions, such as Khomas, are in their fourth year of drought.

Victor Kahiiko from Otjimbingwe in the Karibib district has been trekking with his cattle herd of 110 for the past six months. He says all grazing on his land has been depleted and he’s forced to graze his cattle on the shoulders of public roads to keep them alive.

Most catchment dams in central Namibia are either dry or nearly dry and boreholes are becoming increasingly weaker.

On most farms the only greenery is found around the homesteads, such as this garden on the farm Ongeama near Windhoek.

Good news from Mecki Schneider is that the drought in Namibia will not last forever and the pendulum will again swing to years of plenty.